Waning Energy

Any one person who knows me could tell you that I am a few things:
1) Laid Back
2) Opinionated
3) Hungry

These things acting together (or apart) can and do get me in trouble. However, since I am opinionated and think that at times it's a good thing, and don't currently have a problem being morbidly obese, I'd like to focus on being laid back. The problem with being laid back is that it often turns into laziness. Upon returning home my mind knows that I should promptly enter into my room and commence homework for the evening. But my oh so powerful body coaxes me into the living room to glance at the TV. In the past, it would not have been a strange happening to watch 9 hours of TV on a day off. Or to come home from work every day and watch 5 hours of TV.

Now by no means do I think that TV is evil. Nor do I believe that everyone should destroy cable because we would probably find something worse to do with our time. But for me I know this is true: When I sit in front of the television for any extended period of time my mind goes numb. I no longer feel any urgency about the gospel, I do not remember that I have many friends who are dying, and I certainly do not find myself trying to wrestle through any of my struggles at that point in time.

I would be willing to contend that for most of us this is true...and that's the reason we watch TV. It takes no effort. After a long day the last thing we want to do is engage the people in our home in active conversation (at the risk of disagreement which causes even more thought). We certainly wouldn't want to stare at some of the issues that have haunted us for months or years in the face (i.e. lust, pride, lethargy, sloth, gluttony, etc.). So we sit and all of our highly defined megapixels line up exactly in a row stealing precious hours of our time from Christ.

Ask yourself this- would I be more apt to walk deeply with Christ if I spent less time on the Internet or on television? Be honest. It hurts when I am.

Another thing about this "free time" everyone on earth is lacking and enjoys so much. When you have a little free time it does not seem like enough. When you have a lot of free time it does not seem like enough. No matter how much time during your day you have- the more you don't do anything the more your body does not want to do. Try waking up in the morning and working out or going for a run- you're wide awake for the day (until you sit down and don't move for 3 hours). Then try getting 11 hours of sleep, waking up and moving onto the couch for 3 hours. I bet you feel exhausted and take a nap. It's interesting. :D

Stupid Movies

Despite being incredibly delusional having watched one of the worst movies I've ever seen- I must stay awake to relay this message to the twelve people who read this blog. Disclaimer:

The following is one man's opinion worded strongly on society and films and in no way reflects anything other than reality and Biblical Christianity.

That being said- If you pay money to watch the movie He's Just Not That Into You, I will take you into an alley and stab you as many times as possible before leaving the scene of the crime. Holy Cow what a monumental brainwashing, waste of time and money, and ridiculous plot. I went to go see it tonight with Lauren (Date night- woot woot), and figured it would be a decent little love story. Unfortunately, we were all horribly misled. Now keep in mind I am not the most critical movie watcher, nor do I generally hate movies for "implying" something I don't personally agree with. But this movie blatantly states over and over that
1) One does not need to be married in order to
a. Have sex
b. Live with another person
c. Be in love
d. Be happy spending the rest of life with a person.
Marriage is embodied as the cornering of an unstable man by a demanding woman usually resulting in ultimate unhappiness of both. So why be married when you can wander around and have casual emotionless passionate sex with whoever right? Yeah...spread that message Hollywood. Thanks!
2) When you are married you may still be able to find the person you were "really meant to be with." If that is the case, then one should immediately
a. Get divorced and remarry the "real one" and live happily ever after
b. Get naked with the person and have a passionate affair
c. Become best friends with that person and spend lots of time together tip toeing carefully around actually having sex so it's not a real affair.

So again- Marriage is a hollow cop out for women to control men. And the way men should react is to begin searching constantly for the woman who will really make us happy and leave the lady we promised to love forever. That'll teach her.
3) Girls should continue throwing themselves at guys over and over again until the right one doesn't sleep with them and not call them back. Then you'll know you're really in love.

I am so angry at the world right now. Most especially because there were roughly 14 students from Northwest Christian High School present at this movie (my place of employment), 7 of which were young girls being convinced of this garbage. Why do we continue to spread this message and then wonder why kids are sleeping with each other at 13 years old and thinking they are in love? Either stop letting them watch this crap or get used to it. I hate this, I really genuinely do.

If I could say one thing to the young girls of the world it would be this: You are a beautiful young girl who deserves to be treated honorably by a righteous young man who loves God. You do not need anyone other than Jesus to make you happy, and when you have reached that point it may just so happen that a boy comes into your life and says and does all the right things. If he loves God, and you two continue to walk with Christ daily- you will be given one of the greatest gifts on the entire earth- marriage. Not Hollywood warm fuzzies marriage, but the kind of marriage we read about in Scripture where husbands love their wives and lay down their lives for them. They provide for them and care for them and love them deeply- more and more each day. You will feel beautiful and be beautiful in the eyes of God and your husband. This is marriage- the earthly example of the relationship between Christ and the Church. Marriage DOES NOT END IN THIS LIFE TIME! And it is gratifying for that life time when done right.

"Eve was not taken out of Adam's head to top him, neither out of his feet to be trampled on by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected by him, and near his heart to be loved by him." Matthew Henry

Proberbs 31:10-12 A wife of noble character who can find?She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm,all the days of her life.

I was reading through Knowing God by J.I. Packer recently when I came across this quote:

"We must learn to measure ourselves, not by our knowledge about God, not by our gifts and responsibilities in the church, but by how we pray and what goes on in our hearts."

I call attention to it for personal reasons mostly, but perhaps it will have the same affect on you as it has had on me. Often times I look at my life and think that I have performed some good in the lives of students and friends and I give enough to the church that I'm safe. I become dangerously complacent and begin to walk in a legalistic pride knowing that I'm doing a good job. I cannot measure myself by my good deeds or by my knowledge about God. The important question is do I know Him? Not about Him, but do I know God? And if I measure my knowledge of God in my prayer life the real answer is no, I don't know God well...I want to. I want to love Him more, I want to know Him better, I want all of those things. But merely desiring to have a better relationship isn't worthwhile. If I were married and I say, "I want a better relationship with my wife," but I don't do anything- my relationship with my wife is not getting any better.

Sometimes I have to toil and labor at my relationship with God. I have to cry and plead for Him to reveal more of Himself to me. And in those times I am made more like Him even when it feels like I am most lacking.

Over and out.